Notre Dame spokesman: 'Everything is burning, nothing will remain'

There's a bit of hope for one small piece of Notre Dame's legacy.

The 800-year-old church caught fire Monday afternoon, and soon, its entire roof and iconic spire had collapsed and the woodwork inside was burning. A spokesman soon put that devastation into stark reality, telling French media that "Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame," per The Associated Press.

Reports have suggested the fire may be linked to extensive renovations underway on the cathedral's spire. Yet it's also those same renovations that may have saved a small chunk of Notre Dame. Just four days ago, cranes lifted 16 bronze statues from the cathedral's heights and took them away for renovation, AP says. Still, with AFP reporting the statues would be "put on display inside the cathedral" and taken away "two by two" for repairs, it's unclear just how safe they are.

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Paris' Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire also said emergency workers were trying to salvage artwork from inside the cathedral as it burned, and France24 said nearly all of it was saved. A journalist for a French magazine tweeted that salvaged relics included the crown of thorns, and the Catholic News Agency reported the same. France's junior interior minister told Reuters that no injuries have been reported so far.